THE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) announced that a comprehensive, maximum-security protocol will remain in full force across all designated local testing centers in the city throughout the entire three-day run of the 2026 Bar Examinations, following a smooth, incident-free kickoff of the national licensure tests on Sunday, September 6.
DCPO Chief Police Colonel Peter Madria assured the public that law enforcement will maintain visibility to guarantee the safety of examinees, proctors, and Supreme Court personnel for the full duration of the regionalized, digitalized tests.
To evaluate field readiness on opening day, Madria personally spearheaded on-the-spot operational audits of key security posts alongside DCPO Operations Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark F. Balbuena and Police Station 3 (Talomo) Commander Police Major Sheryl Y. Bautista.
The command team inspected police beats, inner-perimeter security setups, and traffic control operations surrounding the Ateneo de Davao University Senior High School campus in Bangkal — a key Local Testing Center (LTC) designated by the Supreme Court to serve examinees across Mindanao.
Specialized police units, including explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams, specialized tactical personnel, and dedicated traffic managers, have been deployed along the congested MacArthur Highway corridor to handle crowd movements, manage vehicle flow, and secure venue entry points without resorting to full road closures.
Nationwide, 12,029 law graduates took the first leg of the exams across 15 local testing centers. Administered under Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, the 2026 Bar Examinations follow a three-day, non-consecutive schedule spanning Sunday, September 6; Wednesday, September 9; and Sunday, September 13.
The DCPO's sustained security strategy builds upon the successful operational blueprint established during the 2025 Bar Examinations at the same Ateneo de Davao venue.
During that nationwide sitting — which admitted 13,193 candidates and saw 11,425 finish the exams — joint police forces and city traffic management units successfully maintained zero security incidents, controlled traffic bottlenecks, and established seamless perimeter safety. DEF
